American Music
by DirectHit
Summary: After the war, Ichigo has time to think about what all has happened since he's gained his powers. And in order to deal with the pain it brings, he turns to listening to some music from America, which seems to reflect his emotions directly. IchiSenna, and will be a mixture of romance, hurt/comfort, angst, humor and action! Will gain its rating later on, if you know what I mean...
1. Chapter 1

**Hey all, it is I! I come bearing gifts, in the form of a new FanFiction! This chapter will be mainly hurt, and the comfort will come soon. Little bit of angst, but not enough for a tag yet. Please read responsibly, and a comment is always appreciated!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, otherwise it would never end! Nor do I own Three Days Grace or any of their songs, including Pain.**

_Pain, without love,_

_Pain, can't get enough,_

_Pain, I like it rough,_

'_Cause I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all._

"Ichigo! Dinner is ready!" a familiar voice calls. However, the recipient of said call doesn't hear it. His music is too loud, with both headphones in. "Ichigo? Are you up there?" it calls again. After a few moments, a knock on the door is audible, but not to the orange haired 18 year old, sitting on his bed and listening to Three Day's Grace.

_Why does American music fit with how I feel so well? I feel pain, and I lost love. At this point, pain is all that's keeping me aware, the only thing I truly feel, so I can't get enough. I've turned to fighting even more, to help with all the anger inside, so I'm usually pretty rough. But, hey, it's better than nothing._

As the door opens, Ichigo snaps his head up, taking his headphones out and turning his MP3 off. "Sorry, Yuzu, I didn't hear you," he offers in his usual lifeless monotone.

"It's okay. Dinner's ready," she says quickly but firmly, as if letting him know that he had better not suggest not eating again.

Ichigo takes the hint and stands up, brushing the hair from his eyes. He has changed since the end of the Winter War. However, with all new changes came previous ones, and he now looks like he did coming out of the Dangai Precipice World. His long, orange hair hangs in his eyes and falls down his back. He has regained the superior height, and his constant fighting has helped him to regain his muscles. However, he is still powerless. He had wanted to take the strange man up on his offer, but he figured that he'd just get hurt again if he had his powers. So, he continued on with his miserable existence, and was now a senior in High School. His grades were better than ever, thanks to him spending all his time not fighting, sleeping, or, on rare occasion, eating, on studying. He still had no idea what he planned to do after school. Probably go to Med School and take up his father's clinic.

Downstairs, he eats in silence. His father tries conversing with Karin and Yuzu, as usual, and failed, as usual. At one point, he throws Ichigo a punch, hoping his son would return the favor as he would have once upon a time. However, all Ichigo does is get up and walk to his room without so much as a glance.

"That wasn't very nice, Dad," Yuzu chides, as usual. Karin just glares straight ahead, trying to keep the tears from overflowing. Her big brother, Ichigo Kurosaki, toughest fucker she'd ever met, was no more. All of his soul, his essence, his will to live, was gone. She couldn't even sense him in a room anymore. All that was left of the person she had looked up to the most was the empty shell of a man who had lost almost everything. She had noticed how his friends had stopped coming over, and how he hadn't left home on a mysterious journey since. All that he had left was his family, and with Isshin being the way he is, Ichigo had been driven away from even them, even if unintentionally. Karin and Yuzu had tried getting him to cheer up, to toughen up, and to even let loose and tell them what was wrong. Karin would've done anything to get her brother back, but it had all failed. He just sat in his room in his free time, studying and listening to his music.

She knew he hadn't totally given up, because he still got into fights. He still tried coping with whatever had happened in the same way he had always done, which meant he still had feeling. If he didn't fight then she was going to start fighting him herself. She knew she could get him to spar with her if she pressed the right buttons. Unlike most people, she could read Ichigo like a book. She knew what he was thinking when he was thinking it. The only thing she didn't know was why he was hurting. He hadn't acted like this since their mother had died, and even then he hadn't resorted to fighting constantly and refusing to eat dinner occasionally. _What happened? Who did this to you?_

Isshin, meanwhile, had been expecting this reaction. He knew that Ichigo was depressed, and he knew why. He wasn't sure who it was, but he had been in love with someone, and now they were gone. The look in his eyes reminded him of his own after Masaki had died. He knew what his son was going through, even the part of having no powers. That's why he never chastised him for getting into fights. If he didn't then he would truly be worried. That wasn't to say he wasn't now, but he knew that if anyone could deal with this pain, Ichigo could.

_Then again, I had my children to keep me going. Maybe he needs someone. Maybe he needs me._ The thought had crossed his mind. However, every time he tried getting close to his son, he was pushed away. _Guess I shouldn't have punched him so much._

He just wishes that there was something that he could do. And his feelings are shared by another.

Yuzu wishes she knew what was wrong with her big brother. He was never the same after winter break, and he had isolated himself. She wishes that she could soothe him like their mom used to do whenever he was hurt. She wished that she could just make the pain go away. She knows that now, more than ever, her biggest protector needs protecting, and it pains her that she can't do it. After all he's done for her, the least she could do is help him in his time of need, but she can't, because he won't let her, or anyone else for that matter, inside. Instead, he keeps it in so that he can protect them from his own pain.

Even when he is the one who is suffering, he is keeping it all together to protect everyone else.

Up in his room, Ichigo is listening to his music once more.

_You're sick of feeling numb,_

_You're not the only one,_

_I'll take you by the hand,_

_And I'll show you a world that you can understand_

_That's why I get in fights. The numbness is worse than the pain. I wanted to show her everything there was to show, but I never got the chance._

As sits there, studying and listening to music, he tries to fill his mind with information to get it off the thoughts of why he's hurting. Eventually, he tries sleeping, and once again fails until 3 in the morning. At 6, he wakes up as best as he can, gets dressed, and leaves for school.

…..

Orihime walks into the classroom and looks at the love of her life. She feels the pain that she is familiar with when she sees him. He's always so depressed, so pained, so lonely. _Doesn't he know that I'm always here? _

Of course he does. She had made that much clear in their sophomore year, when she had confessed her love to him. Obviously, she had been declined, and it had broken her heart. But even though she got over the pain, it was only because she could tell that his was greater.

Uryuu looks over to see the now normal tortured face of Ichigo Kurosaki, he may try to hide it, but in his eyes is all of the pain that he's been feeling. Uryuu had just assumed that it's because he lost his powers until he had heard some of Ichigo's music one day. Then, he knew what had happened. He wasn't quite sure when, or why, or even who, but someone had either died or left him. Someone he had loved very much. Uryuu is willing to bet on the former, as much as it sickens him. Even if Ichigo doesn't know it, Uryuu does, as well as one other person.

Chad watches his friend with his one clear eye. He had never seen Ichigo this bad before, never seen him in this much pain. Even the time when Aizen almost cut him in half was easier to watch than this day-to-day existence that he calls a life. He doesn't know what's wrong, only that it must be important. He must feel as though he let someone down again.

_This life is filled with hurt,_

_When happiness doesn't work,_

_Trust me, and take my hand,_

_When the lights go out you'll understand,_

_We couldn't just live together in happiness. No one would just leave her alone. Not the Soul Society, not the "Dark Ones". No, they were all too greedy, and they took her from me! And I let them! I was too late to save her! Those stupid Blanks, those stupid memories… Even after all of it, she didn't feel any hate. She only felt happiness that I was alive to share her last moments with her. I almost didn't think she understood that she would be gone forever. So, when the "lights went out" for her, she probably understood that it was permanent. I just didn't have the guts to tell her._

"IIIIIIIICHIIIIIIIIIIIGOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Hey Keigo."

"Hey! So, you wanna go see a movie after school? Mizuiru and Chad are going, aren't ya?" Keigo turns to the two others that usually accompanied him.

"Yeah, and it's supposed to be the best movie of the year," Mizuiru informs him, texting away at his phone as usual.

"Mm," comes the usual response from Chad, which, of course, was accompanied by Ichigo's usual response.

"Sorry, I'm busy."

"Awwww, what could you possibly have to do that's more important than your friends!?" the over dramatic Keigo whined.

"Studying."

"But you're ALWAYS studying!"

"So?"

"So, you need to take some time off!"

"Nah."

"What do you mean, 'nah'!?"

"I mean I'm not going."

"But Ichigo-"

"Leave him alone, you idiot!" Tatsuki yells, landing her fist on Keigo's head.

"What was that for!?" Keigo whined again, but was promptly ignored.

"So, Ichigo, what's up?" Tatsuki asked her oldest friend. Contrary to what most people liked to believe, Tatsuki was capable of emotion, and she felt bad about seeing Ichigo so weak and hurt. Just after he had started to smile again, started living life again, something had happened to make him close up again.

"Nothing," Ichigo replied emotionlessly, as had become the norm for him.

"C'mon Ichigo, I know that something's bothering you! Just tell me already!" Tatsuki said in her usual slightly annoyed and indignant tone.

"It's nothing; just… don't worry about it."

"Hmmph. Whatever," she huffed, folding her arms across her chest and turning to the side. In actual fact, she had a thing for Ichigo. And it wasn't that small, either. It wasn't as obvious as Orihime's infatuation with the Ichigo "image", but it was more than just a crush. Of course, she never planned on acting on these emotions, nor did she pine over them; she just accepted that she wasn't the one for Ichigo and left it at that.

But that doesn't mean she doesn't worry about him. She is still his friend, and she wants to help him through whatever it is that he is facing. For the most part, she can somewhat tell what was going on. In all her life, she had only seen Ichigo Kurosaki put up walls like this once. And last time, it took a miracle involving him gaining otherworldly powers to get him to open up, and she doubts that it would work twice.

…..

Ichigo can hear the cheering and roaring of the crowds, see the lights shining from under the crack of the door, smell the smoke of cigarettes, and _feel_ the intensity of the room. He is decently well known in this fighting ring; he rarely ever lost a fight. People who bet on him usually got lots of money, and so he was well known and respected. Some may even say feared.

Of course, they would not be wrong in being fearful. Every time he fights, a smirk spreads across his face. The smirk slowly turns into a grin, and then a smile; one that sends shivers down even the toughest and most battle-worn men. It extends so far that it seems that at times his head may split, and his tongue even seems to gain an extra inch or so when he licks the blood from his lips when necessary.

_Anger and agony,_

_Are better than misery,_

_Trust me and take my hand,_

_When the lights go up, you'll understand_

_Time to get angry._ That's what he thinks to himself as he takes the earphones out of his ears, preparing himself for the fight. He sets his MP3 down and walks through the door, the sudden burst of light and sound plus a new wave of smells barely making him flinch. He pays no attention to the announcer or the crowds; his focus is solely on his opponent.

The man is about 7 feet tall, and must be at least 400 pounds of pure muscle. Normally, someone in Ichigo's position would have run away so fast they would be approaching a technique Ichigo hadn't seen in years. However, Ichigo knows what this type of guys' weakness is: speed, or a lack thereof.

As he steps into the ring lackadaisically, he hears the bell ding, signaling the start of the fight. The giant attacks him, but Ichigo sees the punch from a mile away. He easily side steps, then dodges another punch, and then a third. Left hook, duck, right jab, sidestep, uppercut, back pedal. After a couple seconds of toying around with the mountain of a man, Ichigo decides to turn to offense. He jumps above the man's fist as another jab makes its way towards Ichigo's gut, and he takes one quick step off of the man's elbow and sends a quick and painful kick into his face, effectively toppling his adversary. Smirk in place, he backs up, waiting for the man to get back up, except he doesn't; he starts screaming. Ichigo wonders why, not arrogant enough to believe that he was the reason for this sudden outburst of fear.

_Wait… what the hell is that? _He thinks as he looks at the outline of a strange figure appears over the body. Then, the color quickly drains from his face as a familiar screech pierces through the noise of the room. The outline colors and he can clearly see the monster that is feeding on the man's soul. _No, it can't be! What the hell is a hollow doing here!? _

His answer does not come to him immediately, and in its place comes the slice of a sword and the spray of blood and his body. And flash of raven black and snow white accompanies it, and the flash becomes a person; a very short person wielding a pure white blade, with black hair that reaches down past her shoulders on a black robe that sways slightly with the release of energy coming from the dying beast.

"Rukia?" he murmurs, more to himself than the figure. However, he does gain the new arrival's attention, and he gets a good look at its confused face, confirming her identity. There, standing before him, is a girl that he hasn't seen in four long years. And the only thing that he can do before she runs away as fast as she can is reach his hand out, grabbing her wrist and pulling himself along in the Flash Step.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! Sorry it took so long, but I've either been busy or tired. But, here it is! The next, angsty chapter of American Music! I think you'll find it a bit RIOTous… Enjoy! Reviews are always appreciated! If you don't leave one, I'll tell Yuno that you like Yuki…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, Three Day's Grace, or Riot.**

It's been years since he's felt it.

The wind on his face, through his hair, pinning his clothes to his body in the front, flowing wildly in the back. The powerful feeling of being able to move at such a speed that you could reach someone in literally the blink of an eye. The feeling of elation and freedom from no restrictions on his body or soul, the only opposing force being the air itself, which was so easy to move through.

The feeling of a Flash Step.

Of course, he can't fully enjoy it, seeing as it wasn't him doing the Flash Stepping. He is merely hitching a ride on someone who, at one point, was actually much slower than him, plus his own weight is holding her down. On top of this, there are a million thoughts crossing through his reawakened mind all at once.

_What's going on? How can I see Rukia? How can I touch her? How is my arm not tearing from the shoulder like a non-spirit energy filled being like myself should be? Am I dreaming? Is this even real? _That though is quickly discarded. _If it were, _she _would be here._

Finally, they come to a stop outside of Urahara Shop, a fact that doesn't surprise Ichigo. Rukia had probably just thought that it was important to tell Urahara that Ichigo was starting to regain his spirit energy. _So does that mean that I really am…?_

"Rukia, what's going on!?" Ichigo yells, suddenly very angry. Te reason for this anger was actually quite founded. In all the time that Ichigo had lost his powers, she could've visited him. She knew that it was going to be hard on him, and yet there was no note, no letter, no visit in a gigai. She, along with the entire 13 Court Guard Squads, had just left him alone as if nothing had happened and he was just some human who HADN'T just saved their asses for the umpteenth time! Hell, even old Hat'N'Clogs himself hadn't spoken with Ichigo after the incident, except to check once to see if all of his spirit energy had indeed depleted. And that was three years ago.

"What do you mean? Shouldn't I be the one asking that? How can you see me?" Rukia replies in her usual official-yet-obviously-curious voice.

"How the hell should I know!? It's not like you've come to visit me in a gigai or anything!" Ichigo responds angrily, making Rukia scoff. This, in turn, makes Ichigo even angrier. "What the hell is so funny!?"

"Oh come on, Ichigo. It's obvious that the Soul Society wouldn't let me contact with you since you were just a regular human. Get over yourself and calm down!"

"Oh, so now you're going to listen to the Soul Society, unlike the when we went into Hueco Mundo for Orihime or Hell itself for Yuzu or the Valley of Screa-" Ichigo cuts himself off. Well, actually, he chokes. But still, Rukia notices his hesitation. That doesn't mean she cares though.

"First off, I wasn't even in the Valley of Screams. Second, Yuzu and Orihime's lives were in danger! What all happened to you Ichigo? Did you get a little lonely?" she mocks.

Ichigo is going to respond, when he decides not to. If she didn't want to see him, he didn't care. She wasn't even the one he had wanted to see anyways. But still, it would've helped. While his life may not have been threatened directly, suicide was constantly on his mind. Just making the pain stop, just making it all end. But he never would've done it. If he had, then _she _would've died for nothing.

So instead of arguing, he just turns and leaves. Right now, he couldn't care less that he was regaining his spirit energy, or that Urahara could help him with it. He doesn't care that he could see Rukia, or that she was currently yelling at him to get his ass back over to the Shop so they could talk to Urahara. He doesn't even care if a hollow were to attack him right now. Honestly, he doesn't care about anything right now. All he cared about was getting away, and there was one surefire way that he knew he could do it.

_If you feel so empty,_

_So used up, so let down,_

_If you feel so angry,_

_So ripped off, so stepped on,_

_You're not the only one,_

_Refusing to go down._

_You're not the only one,_

"Bakudo number 1, Sai!" Ichigo doesn't here the command, but does feel its effects. However, he isn't willing to go down so quietly. No, he knows that since he has even a little of his spirit energy back, he won't have to feel as though he's being stepped on. It may not fill the emptiness in him, but it is enough. And he is definitely angry now.

_So get up!_

And he does. It takes even less effort than he expects. He isn't even forced to his knees.

_Let's start a riot! A riot!_

At this point, Ichigo decides that it isn't such a bad idea. Hollows were sure to come around if he went on a rampage in soul form. The question is, how will he get into it? Then he gets an idea.

Turning on Rukia, he senses for the spiritually rich red fabric that he knew she always carries on her at all times. A long time ago, he realized that it actually had a different feel than everything else she usually had on her, so it is easy to pinpoint. Once he finds it, he lunges at the small soul reaper. He feigns a left hook, and then pulls the glove from behind the wide belt on here robes. Then, he pushes her forward and runs into the Shop, the safest place for his body at the moment. He lies down in a corner, takes the glove, and smacks himself with the blue-fire skull on the palm. His plan has succeeded.

He feels the familiar _whoosh _of the separation, and loves the lightlessness of his soul. He Flash Steps as fast as possible, which is faster than Rukia, even in his weakened state, and vents off huge amounts of spiritual pressure.

It doesn't take long for the hollows to arrive, and when they do, there are about ten of them. Ichigo feels for the handle of Zangetsu and finds it easily, as if he had never lost the ability to do so. He pulls the huge blade from his back, unsheathing it from the bandages as he does so. He takes a few practice swings to test the weight of it, and sure enough, it feels completely natural.

The first hollow to attack makes the stupid move of announcing it beforehand, seeing as this "puny soul reaper" barely has any spiritual pressure. It lunges at Ichigo, its sharp claws outstretched, ready to pierce the soft flesh of his back, but they never do. Instead, the creature's head is sliced to the middle, dissolving it almost instantly. The rest of the hollows sneer at him, and three of them attack at once.

The first one's teeth are dodged, and the second's arm blade is parried. The third manages to cut him, but is quickly killed. The rest then attack him along with the earlier two, ganging up on the orange-haired substitute. Then, all hell breaks loose.

"BANKAI!" comes Ichigo's voice, clear over all of the hollows' screams. Said monsters are sent flying by the blast of spiritual pressure that is a result of his release. As soon as the flow of energy dims down a bit, however, the creatures attack again.

But this time, Ichigo is much faster. He dodges a claw swipe with a sidestep to the left, then a large fist by bending over backwards. He digs his blade deep into one mask, and then cuts off another's head and slices one more clean in half. With only five hollows left, he charges his remaining energy (which is still somewhat low) and barely manages to use his first Getsuga Tensho since his use of the final one. Of course, it catches all five creatures in the wave of raw energy, killing them, but the output attracts one more hollow. And this one needs a Garganta to enter the World of the Living.

As the heavy feet of the Menos Grande crack the empty street below, Ichigo knows that he's in some serious shit. He had put the last of his spirit energy into that last attack, and there was no way he could take on even a Menos class arrancar.

However, the Menos does not care. It's just here for the souls.

As it fires its cero, Ichigo dodges it and starts Flash Stepping towards the beast. He jumps into the air and makes for a slash at its mask, hoping to end it quickly, but is instead swatted away like a fly by its large hand.

_If you feel so dirty,_

_So filthy, so fucked up,_

_If you feel so walked on,_

_So painful, so pissed off,_

_You're not the only one,_

_Refusing to go down,_

_You're not the only one,_

_So get up!_

As he pulls himself out of his perfectly formed sidewalk angel, Ichigo feels a familiar and unpleasant tug on his sanity. _No! Stay out of this! I can handle it!_

**Oh come on now king, it's been years! Just let me have a little fun?**

_No! Now back off!_

**No, I don't think I will. Remember what I told you, Ichigo? I told you that the second you got weak, I was taking over. And right now, you're running on fumes.**

_Shut up! I'm not tired or weak! I've got this!_

**Why are you resisting so much, anyway? It's not like there's anything left in the Land of the Sane for you anymore. Just sit back and let me take over for a while.**

The sad thing is, he's right. There is no longer any need for him to retain his mental stability. The only thing that has kept him sane for all these years is the lack of this being of pure fear and instinct in his head.

But right now, he's back. And there isn't anything Ichigo can do to keep him quiet. This inverted version of Ichigo is inside of Ichigo's mind, trying to break free and take complete control over his body, and he's succeeding. Rapidly. Actually, while you've read this, he's already taken over.

_*BOOM*_

As the Menos steps on Ichigo, an explosion rips it to shreds. In the middle of the blast radius is a true horror to be feared by all: Ichigo's inner hollow has come out to play.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys, sorry for being so late... *laughs nervously* Anyway, I've been busy lately, so I barely get time to write! And as far as that new story I started, I have been watching whole Anime in single weekends, and High School DxD just so happened to be one of them. Plus, Koneko deserves someone better than Issei, even if he is an OC based off of me. ANYWHORE! ON WITH THE STORY!**

**Disclaimer: Bleach, It ain't mine. Otherwise Senna would've turned around in that diner and seen Ichigo and feel-good times would ensue. I do not own Skillet or the song Monster.**

_NO! NO NO NO! This can't be happening! _Ichigo thinks furiously. _He can't be taking over!_

"**Too bad King, 'cause here I am. And I'm here to stay!"**

On the outside, Rukia is slowly and cautiously approaching a trembling Ichigo. Well, shaking and thrashing violently would be closer to the truth, but you get the point. She is scared of what is about to happen, and angry that Ichigo hadn't seen it coming.

_This secret side of me,_

_I never let you see,_

_I keep it caged but I can't control it!_

_So stay away from me,_

_The beast is ugly,_

_I feel the rage and I just can't hold it!_

Suddenly, the shaking stops. Ichigo just stands there, his spiritual pressure all but disappearing completely. Then, a different, and yet slightly similar one skyrockets, causing a pillar of red-tinted black spirit energy to erupt from his body, wrapping him in a transformation that had only been shown once, 4 years ago when the Fourth Espada, Ulqiorra Schiffer had died.

As Rukia stares in horror at Ichigo's completely transformed body, she notices two things. The first is that the mask is pointed downwards, its horns at her. The second is the red ball of energy collecting at their tips. However, she doesn't have time to contemplate this, seeing as it only takes a second of the cero to charge and then fire, its range so wide that even Yoruichi Shihoin would have a hard time dodging it.

Somehow, Rukia comes away unscathed, though she doesn't have much time to regain her composure before another cero is fired, this time from her side. She doesn't have any time to dodge, so she tries blocking instead.

"Some no mai, Hakuren!" she yells, the ground beneath her lighting up and a pillar of ice forming just in time to catch the approaching wave of death. However, much to Rukia's horror, it passes through almost completely unhindered, as it melts a tunnel straight through. Her eyes widen, and time seems to slow down for her. She has heard of Captain Kurotsuchi talking about this, her mind slowing things down seconds before an attack. She watches as her life flashes before her eyes, the cero heading straight for her face.

Suddenly, her point of view is changed, and she is viewing the cero from the side, watching as it hits a nearby construction site. She then notices a hand on her shoulder and looks to the owner, the familiar dark-skinned face smiling down at her.

"Need some help?" the purple haired woman asks, still flashing her mischievous smile.

"Y-Yoruichi!" Rukia cries in surprise. "Th-thank you for saving me," she adds, bowing her head.

"Don't mention it. Now, let's get out of the way before another cero hits us," she says Flash Stepping once more out of the way of another blast.

"Yoruichi! Take her into the shop and have Hachi put up some barriers!" A familiar voice sounds from behind a green and white striped hat.

"Around the shop?" Yoruichi asks, dodging another cero and allowing another conveniently placed abandoned warehouse to be destroyed.

"No. Around us," Urahara finishes, Flash Stepping towards the rampaging Ichigo. Yoruichi does as she is told, and soon there are multiple barriers erected around the area, shielding any and all passerby and buildings.

"Ichigo! You need to calm down!" Urahara raises his voice to what could barely be considered a yell, as per usual in these situations. In response, the beast in Ichigo's body charges Urahara, sonidoing away at the last second and reappearing behind the tall man, poised to pierce him with the horns on its mask. Urahara Flash Steps to the transformed Ichigo's side, barely dodging the attack. He swings down with his cane, hoping to catch the monster behind its mask and pry it off, but to no avail as the strike is dodged and returned tenfold, directly to the stomach via kick. This attack sends the green-cloaked shop owner flying into the first barrier, which just barely manages to stay intact. However, it is shattered when the hollowfied Ichigo picks Urahara up by the throat and slams through it, straight into the next. As the life slowly leaves Urahara's body, he sees a small opening.

…

"What the hell is going on!? Who are all of you!?" Rukia asks in righteous indignation. Currently, they are all in the training grounds under Urahara Shop, they being the Vizards, Yoruichi, and Rukia herself.

"If you just calm down, we can explain-" the tall, lanky blonde man starts, interrupted mid-sentence by a yellow sandal. The offender is an equally blonde but significantly shorter girl, who looks to be a teenager.

"Don't go talking for us, dumbass!" she yells, her anger quickly rising for no reason at all.

"Hiyori, please quit hitting Shinji, it's really quite unnecessary," the large, pink haired man says in a kind voice.

"Just leave her be, Hachi. You know she's never going to quit," the only serious looking female intervenes, brushing her dark hair out from in front of her glasses.

"Lisa's right, you shouldn't get involved in a lover's quarrel," the dark skinned man with the afro adds in a completely straight face, helped considerably by the shades on his face. However, the silver haired man next to him can't keep the same poker face and bursts out laughing.

"What's so funny, Kensei?" the green haired girl asks him, obviously confused.

"Nothing, Mashiro, it's just that Love's about to get his ass beat," Kensei replies.

"Well, I think he's dead on. Those two just need to see it for themselves," the only remaining unannounced person says, brushing his blonde hair out of his face dramatically.

"Shut up, Rose! Nobody asked you!" Hiyori yells, throwing her sandal at him. It hits him square in the face, causing him the slowly fall backwards and Kensei to laugh even more.

"… Anyway, as you can see, these guys are a very close-knit group. They are known as the Vizards. It's a long and complicated story, but the important thing is that they're on our side," Yoruichi assures Rukia.

"But why are they here?" the dark haired girl asks.

"We're here to help Ichigo. We kinda assumed that he wouldn't be able to contain his hollow when he was first getting his powers back, and it seems we were right," Shinji says, taking a break from fighting with Hiyori.

"How? There's no way you all can stop him. Not even the Fourth Espada could beat him like this!" Rukia cries her hope slipping away by the second.

"We've all got a bit in common that most don't," Love says, standing up with his sheathed zanpakuto in hand.

"Haven't you wondered how we know Ichigo by now?" Rose says, following Love's actions.

"It's actually kinda funny!" Mashiro giggles as she bends over next to them.

"…Not really, but it is a little weird," Kensei says, continuing the line.

"Let's just say that we've done this before," Lisa vaguely explains as she moves beside Kensei.

"What do you mean, 'done this before'?" Rukia starts to ask. Then, her eyes widen with the realization of what they were all saying hits her.

"Wow, you really are a dumbass, huh?" Hiyori asks, standing on the opposite side of Shinji as the rest. "Then let me spell out for ya," she finishes, her hollow mask appearing out of thin air. The other's do the same, all performing their own little rituals for summoning their masks.

"Are you about done, Hachi?" Yoruichi asks, getting in line next to the others.

"Yes, I am," Hachi replies. It is then that Rukia notices that Hachi is the only one not in line, but is instead sitting down, his hands twisted in a very complicated kido sign. Then, a flash of green light occurs, revealing the orange barriers and the two fighting figures inside. The Vizards then charge in and begin systematically attacking, each taking a strike and then backing off, just trying to keep Ichigo occupied.

"What the…?" Rukia gapes, unsure of what just happened.

"I used a forbidden kido, the Teleportation kido," Hachi explains.

"What!? What the hell, Yoruichi!? You can't just go around having people cast forbidden kidos all over the place!" Rukia yells.

"Calm down, Rukia. Or would you have rather had me leave Ichigo to break free around rampage through Karakura Town?" Yoruichi replies evenly. Rukia then takes a look at the barriers, and notices that there is actually only one left, and that it is very nearly destroyed. She then promptly shuts up, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.

"Now, Rukia, we need to go and get him out of this state. But, we're gonna need your help," the older woman says.

"W-what? But how!? I'm no match for him, not like this!" Rukia protests.

"Physically, no. But you know how to get into his head better than anyone else. If we can put your consciousness into his, then maybe you can calm him down."

Rukia goes wide-eyed once more, realizing what Yoruichi was intending. "But how are you-"

"You seem to forget; Urahara can create very complex kido, and Hachi here can use it. However, we need someone close to him to talk to him, someone he trusts."

Rukia feels a bit guilty at this. "I'm not sure he trusts me right now," she admits, looking away in shame.

"Listen, it's our only shot. Even, if you can't get him to trust you, maybe you'll find out who can," Yoruichi explains, to which Rukia nods.

"It's worth a try," she says, mentally preparing herself for the upcoming out-of-body experience.

…

"_**Ichigo," **_an old and familiar voice calls out to Ichigo in his subconscious. He then wakes up on the side of a skyscraper, gravity having been redirected. However, this does not feel unnatural to him in the slightest. In fact, it feels completely normal. Everything is just as he had last seen it, not including the time he had to learn the Final Getsuga.

"_**Ichigo, what are you waiting for?" **_the voice says again. Ichigo looks around for its owner, and his eyes rest on the welcome sight of the old man on a nearby pole.

"There you are, Zangetsu. I was afraid you'd stopped talking to me. Listen, I'm sorry about the last time we met. I had no right to make you-"

"_**This is not the time for that, Ichigo. Quit avoiding my question. What are you waiting for? Surely you don't think that allowing your hollow to rampage throughout the city which you worked so hard to protect would be a good idea, do you?" **_Zangetsu interrupts bluntly, as usual.

"What do you expect me to do? He's taken full control by now, and I can't do anything about it!" Ichigo yells back angrily.

"_**Seriously, Ichigo. Are you already giving up? I am truly disappointed. I thought better of you. You have no right to wield me if you are willing to give up that easily." **_And with that, Zangetsu is suddenly in front of Ichigo, his own blade thrusting deep into the substitute soul reaper's chest.

"Zangetsu… Why…?" Ichigo says, grasping at the sword's hilt. Then, the old man's face contorts, and his clothes are suddenly a stark white.

_Scratching along the walls,_

_In the closet, in the halls,_

_It comes awake and I can't control it!_

"**Surprise!" **Ichigo's hollow yells. The inverted Ichigo then places his foot right beside his black Zangetsu, on Ichigo's chest, and kicks off with enough force to break all the windows along the floor (side?) of the skyscraper.

Ichigo knows that without Zangetsu, he doesn't stand a chance with his meager spiritual pressure, so he jumps down one of the broken windows, a tactic that he's never even thought of before. As soon as he is through, gravity reverts, and he is standing on the actual floor. He starts running along the hallways, and he hears his hollow casually walk towards him, scratching the walls and calling out to him.

Noticing a door on his right, Ichigo rips the door open and dashes in. however, he isn't prepared for what he sees.

There, in the middle of the floor, is a pile. At first, he doesn't recognize what's in it, but then one of the objects moves, revealing a face. _Is that…? _

The face looks hurt. Its big, bright amber eyes that Ichigo remembers to be so filled with innocence and joy are instead consumed by fear and pain. The dark purple hair is messy and soaked in what is probably blood, considering the large amount of it coming out of the corner of her mouth. She calls out in a shaky voice, as if afraid of who she is speaking to. "I-Ichi…go?"

Ichigo wants to cry. The thought of seeing this girl, the one he loved, broken and dying on the ground is too much for him to bear. However, the sound of his hollow forces him into action once more, and he continues running down the hallway of the office building, slamming the door so hard that it rattles on its hinges.

…

"Ok, when Hachi casts the kido, your consciousness will be transferred from your body to Ichigo's. You'll be put into his inner world, and it will be your job to find him and get him to calm down. However, his hollow may be in there too, so you'll have to be careful," Yoruichi tells Rukia, who nods in understanding.

"We will give you 10 minutes. If you haven't managed to calm him down by then, you will need to return to your body so that you don't suffer any permanent damage to your mind. Stay in there too long and you may go crazy," Urahara says, earning another nod.

"I'm ready. Mr. Ushoda, please perform the kido," Rukia says, steeling her nerves.

After some complicated hand signs and incantations, Rukia feels a searing pain, as though her brain is being ripped though her skull, causing her to screw her eyes shut. The pain is so intense that her knees almost give out. When she opens her eyes, however, she notices that they already have, and that she is lying on the ground. But that isn't the weird thing. No, that would probably be the fact she is viewing it from a bystander's point of view, as though her spiritual body were nothing but a gigai.

But she doesn't have long to contemplate, because then she feels herself being pulled towards the transformed body of Ichigo, which is being held down by the Vizards. Then, her world goes black.

…

_I'm pretty sure something isn't right here._

That is the first thing that Rukia thinks when she awakens on the side of one of the many skyscrapers cluttering what must be Ichigo's inner world. Then, she notices what it is, and nearly screams. _GRAVITY, WHAT THE FUCK!?_

However, the huge spiritual pressure that seems to be coming from the building she is currently on keeps her mouth shut. She hides her own spiritual pressure, and then looks for a way in. She sees some broken windows a ways away (up?) on the building. _This looks bad…_

When she hops through one of them, she is relieved that gravity is back to normal again. She hears the sound of drywall being ripped and tile being crushed down one of the hallways and, without the slightest hesitation, starts running lightly down it.

…

_Hiding under the bed,_

_In my body, in my head,_

As Ichigo runs down the hallways, he avoids any more doors, for fear of them turning out like the first one. However, with his hollow quickly gaining on him, he knows he'll have no choice but to try and hide. He hopes that with his still small spiritual pressure, he might be able to try and hide it from his hollow. He knows it's a long shot, considering how horrible he is at controlling his spiritual pressure, but figures it's worth a shot.

He sees a door on his left and opens it cautiously, peering in before entering. After assuring himself that there are no bodies of his loved ones lying around, he enters and quietly closes the door. Inside, he waits for his hollow to run past and, hopefully, not notice him.

However, he feels something on his back. He freezes, fearing the worst, but is pleasantly surprised to hear a familiar voice in his ear. However, the voice sounds a bit sultrier than he'd ever remembered hearing it before, and he recognizes the feeling on his back as fingers running slowly and seductively down his back, towards his…

"SENNA!" Ichigo whispers harshly, grabbing her wrist and turning around. However, as soon as he does, he wishes he hasn't, because right there in front of him is his lost love, in all her imaginary glory. He takes in what he assumes she would look like naked, and is instantly turned on. He tries turning back around, but he can't take his eyes off of her… assets.

She crawls on top of him, whispering his name seductively as she makes her way to his face, where she plants a long, sensual kiss on his lips, claiming them as her own.

"**KNOCK KNOCK, KING!"**

And the door to the room is launched off of its hinges, flying straight through Senna's image and making it dissipate. Ichigo gets up and is, quite predictably, angry. However, just as he is about to let his hollow know of his current emotions, he receives a quick and painful kick to the stomach from said being, causing him to drop to the ground.

Ichigo struggles to get up, but is held in place by the hollow's foot pressing down on his chest.

"**Don't worry, King. I'm not gonna kill you. I'm just gonna torture you to the point of insanity!" **the monster informs him plunging Zangetsu into his arm. It then proceeds to torture Ichigo endlessly.

_Why won't somebody come and save me from this?_

_Make it end!_

Suddenly, the pain stops, and the weight of his hollow is lifted from his chest. He slowly opens his eyes and sees Rukia pulling him to his feet, and he does as she motions him to do. They then hobble away before the monster can break free from all of the kido Rukia has placed on him.

…

After a while more of running, the pair stops and hides in another room. Ichigo pokes his head in and, after checking this time for body piles AND horny females, motions for Rukia to enter with him.

As soon as the door closes though, the scenery of the room changes from nothingness into a familiar looking execution grounds.

"This is Sokyoku Hill!" Rukia exclaims quietly, her eyes widening in confusion. Ichigo, however, knows what's about to happen. He's caught on to what each room means. He's noticed how all of them display one of his emotions, and the thing or things most connected to that emotion in his mind. The pile of his friends and family was fear, fear of hurting people. The last room was his love for Senna. This room, with the Soul Society being the object of emotion, can only be one thing.

Anger.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys, this one is really angsty, then really sad, then really hopeful! Sorry the A/N is short, but I'm running out of time. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, Black Sabbath or the song Iron Man.**

_I am Iron Man!_

_Has he lost his mind?_

_Can he see or is he blind?_

Ichigo starts to feel the anger within him. He knows that it's just an image in his mind, but the very thought of the Soul Society is enough to throw him into a murderous rampage. However, before he gets the chance, the scenery changes once more.

"Is he crazy or what?" a familiar red-headed pineapple's voice is audible. "I doubt that he could even see us if Rukia hadn't have given him her power!"

Ichigo recognizes the setting immediately. After all, it was the first time he had risked his life to save Rukia, and the first time he had failed. However, Rukia isn't sure that the words match the scene, or that she's ever even heard Renji say them before.

"What is this, Ichigo? When did Renji say that?" she inquires.

"He didn't," he says through clenched teeth. "But he may as well have. That's what I remember hearing. Either way, that isn't what you should be worried about right now."

"What? What do you mean, Ichigo?" However, Ichigo does not answer, and Rukia is somewhat curious as to what he thinks about when he thinks about this moment, the moment he opposed the Soul Society.

"You are slow, even when you are falling," Rukia hears her brother's refined voice, and her blood freezes. She doesn't know much about what Ichigo feels at any given moment, but she does know that he dislikes Byakuya's insults more than Renji's mockery. This was due mainly to the fact that when Renji insulted him, Ichigo would just kick his ass, but when Byakuya did it, Ichigo either couldn't or wasn't allowed to.

_Can he walk at all?_

_Or if he moves, will he fall?_

_Is he live or dead?_

_Has he thoughts within his head?_

Flashback Ichigo's body hits the cold pavement of the street, the Senkaimon opens.

"Do you think he's alive?" Renji asks.

"He is for now, but not for long," Byakuya answers.

"Please, brother, he's not even worth it," Rukia pleads, to which the response is in the affirmative, even if reluctantly so.

_We'll just pass him there,_

_Why should we even care?_

As the light of the Senkaimon surrounds the three soul reapers' forms, Ichigo looks Rukia in the eyes. All he sees is disappointment.

"Come on, let's go," she says, and Ichigo blacks out.

The scenery changes and Ichigo recognizes the tall, dark hole as the Shattered Shaft. He looks and sees Tessai performing a kido, then turns even more to see himself, a white fluid is shooting out of every orifice on his head.

_He was turned to steel,_

_In the great magnetic field,_

_When he traveled time,_

_For the future of mankind._

One high level kido and an explosion of spirit energy later, Ichigo is standing at the top of the Shattered Shaft, a hollow mask on his face.

Ichigo knows that this is the moment when he gained an inner hollow. This is the moment when he put his life and sanity on the line for Rukia, only to have consequences that he would have to deal with even through the afterlife. Sure, those consequences may come with benefits of their own, such as the immense power, but in the end, it was just more strain on him. And for what? To save a girl he had known for about a month, who had made it painfully clear, at least in his mind, that she was disappointed in him.

_Nobody wants him,_

_He just stares at the world,_

_Planning his vengeance,_

_That he will soon unfold._

He hated how everyone was looking at him in horror. He hated that they were all pointing weapons at him, waiting for him to become a monster. Ichigo knows that when he first revealed this side of him, everyone grew wary of him. Orihime was actually afraid and had started crying when she saw his mask. He hated how everyone saw him differently as soon as they saw just the smallest glimpse of his dark side.

Another scenery change occurs, placing the pair in the Soul Society. Ichigo is surrounded by people with swords, all of them people he thought trusted him; Renji, Toshiro, even Ikkaku was wielding against him in a group.

_Now the time is here,_

_For Iron Man to spread fear._

_Vengeance from the grave,_

_Kills the people he once saved._

He had just killed Aizen for Christ's sake! Why the hell were they taking him in!? Why did they just assume that everything was all his fault, that he had come to the Soul Society to destroy everything and kill everyone!? It's gonna take a LOT of will power not to run in there kicking EVERYBODY'S ass when all of this is over.

Once more, the setting changes, placing Ichigo and Rukia in front of the whole Sereitei. They see an Ichigo standing in front of them that looks identical to the current one, letting the two know that this memory is recent.

"But how can that be?" Rukia asks herself.

"It's not the past. It's what's gonna happen in the future," Ichigo explains, the anger boiling up inside of him.

"What do you mean, Ichigo?"

_Nobody wants him,_

_They just turned their heads._

This time, Ichigo does explain. "When I lost my powers, the Soul Society left me in the dust. They pretended that I didn't exist. They thought that they could just ignore me until my powers came back and they had use for me again and everything would be alright," he starts, his voice dripping with anger and resentment.

"Ichigo, I wish that I could have visited you, but you know that I couldn't-"

"BULLSHIT!" Ichigo interrupts. "YOU COULD'VE COME IN A GIGAI; YOU COULD'VE SENT A NOTE THROUGH URAHARA! YOU COULD'VE KEPT CONTACT WITH ME, BUT YOU DIDN'T!"

That shuts Rukia up. It's the truth; she had abandoned Ichigo, even if on orders of the Soul Society. She had chosen her life over his and allowed him to be miserable, and she feels horrible for it every day.

_Nobody helps him,_

_Now he has his revenge._

"And now, I'm gonna go and do something about that damned hollow, since none of you can seem to help!" Ichigo yells, storming out of the room to go face his demons.

"Wait!" Rukia yells, running out after him and grabbing his hand.

"WHAT!?" Ichigo rounds on the small girl.

"Please don't go, Ichigo! If you go, you'll die, and then you'd be gone forever!" Rukia starts crying in a way that she never has before. She speaks in jumbled sentences, trying to get the words out before the tears can fight their way free.

"What do you care?" Ichigo asks in resentment. "You didn't care when I lost my powers, so why do you care now all of a sudden?"

Rukia is all but full-out bawling at this point. "I do care! I care because… because…"

"Because why!?"

"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!" Rukia finally screams. "I LOVE YOU AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO DIE! JUST TRUST ME AND WE CAN GET OUT OF THIS TOGETHER!"

Ichigo goes quiet. There is so much anger and hatred in him, but he knows that the next words he speaks are the truth.

"I'm sorry Rukia, but I can't love you. The only person I ever loved is dead, and you tried to convince me that I wouldn't remember," he says, his voice sounding almost disgusted at the girl in tears.

As he leaves, she falls to her knees, letting wave after wave of fresh crying wash over her, wracking her small form. Her heart is broken. She's lost the only hope at having Ichigo, and there's nothing she can do to get it back. At this point, he won't even want to talk to her or see her face again after this is over.

But she won't let that happen. She is determined to save their friendship if nothing else. But in order to do that, she has to save him first. And she knows that the only person who can help him defeat his inner hollow, the only person that can give him the strength to carry on is dead.

…

Rukia's body stirs, then sits up, and then starts crying uncontrollably. Ichigo is still fully transformed, still fighting everybody. Yoruichi is trying to say something to her, but she isn't hearing it. She is getting over the shock and realizing the truth of the situation: Ichigo is going to die, and there is nothing that she can do about it. She knows what Yoruichi must be asking her, what information she must be trying to shake out of her, so she just says it, just to get her to leave her alone.

"I can't help him; no one can. He's gone. He's too angry to listen to anything anybody says. The only person that could save him is dead," she says, her voice hollow. She looks up at Yoruichi, seeing the shock and disbelief in her face. "Yoruichi, he's gone."

"What? No, he can't be…" Yoruichi says, tears threatening to fall. He was her pupil, and in the time they spent together they had formed a bond that was unbreakable. She loved Ichigo like a son, and she couldn't imagine a life without the orange-haired idiot running around, causing trouble.

"He is, and we have to accept that," Urahara says, his voice deadly serious. He too shared the bond between master and student with Ichigo, and he too was going to be affected greatly by his loss. "You know what we need to do, Yoruichi."

"No! There has to be a way!" the Shihoin princess cries.

"There isn't and you know that!" Urahara suddenly yells, his voice harsh. "You know as well as I that if he becomes a hollow there will be no stopping him, and we can't let that happen!"

"Kisuke, please! We have to think of another way! We can try and seal his power, try and suppress his hollow long enough for him to take control!"

"It'll take days at best to make a kido strong enough to hold him for more than a couple of seconds! Just stop it, Yoruichi!"

"Please, Kisuke! Please…" she cries, hugging the man and burying her head in his chest.

"Yoruichi, listen to me. He's gone, and we have to make sure his hollow doesn't gain full control. I'm going to do it, so please don't try and stop me," Kisuke whispers in her ear.

"Please…" the woman sobs as he leaves her, falling to the ground and joining Rukia in her pile of sobs and tears.

Rukia, meanwhile, is thinking back to the morning of this eventful day. She remembers watching Ichigo wake up after being sent to the World of the Living to investigate some fluctuations in spiritual pressure. She had stopped by his bedroom window, just to check on him, see how he was doing, and he seemed miserable. He was crying, in tears over a picture of a purple-haired girl that she didn't recognize, but apparently he did.

She watched him do this for at least ten minutes, and yet she knew that she could do nothing. He stood, and her eyes followed him as he put the picture in a box and slide it under his bed.

Suddenly, her eyes go wide. "Wait! Urahara, wait! Don't kill him!" she yells, jumping up and running to Kisuke, who already has his sword drawn.

"What is it Rukia? I know that you're sad, we all are, but-"

"Just listen to me! I think I know a way to save him! Just keep him alive until I get back!"

"Wait, what do you mean, Rukia!?" Kisuke calls after her, but she is already gone, and the Vizards are already getting tired.

"Kisuke, what was she talking about?" Shinji asks.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, I doubt that it will work. I'm just gonna do it," Kisuke responds, holding his blade up.

"No. If there is even the slightest chance in saving him, we are going to take it," Yoruichi's voice stops Kisuke.

"Yoruichi, please, we just covered this-"

"Kisuke, why are you giving up so easily? This isn't like you."

"I'm giving up because there's nothing to hope for anymore!" Kisuke yells, revealing a side that he never lets out. "There is NO POINT in trying to bring him back to control! You heard Rukia! The only person who could help him is dead, and it's our job to make sure he doesn't hurt anybody!"

"But Rukia just said that she had an idea to save him! If you're going to listen to one thing a person says, you must listen to everything else! Just, give her five minutes, Kisuke," Yoruichi pleads.

"Fine," Urahara says after a moment of uncertainty. "But only five. After that, I'll do what needs to be done.

"Thank you, Kisuke. Just wait."

…

Inside, Ichigo's room, Rukia grabs the box out from under his bed and throws the top to the side, revealing the picture of Ichigo's lost love and another thing that Rukia had noticed before. She reaches in and pulls out a long, silky red hair ribbon, the same type that the girl in the photo is wearing. She can sense traces of a strangely familiar spiritual pressure on it, the same one she had when she had stopped by earlier. She figures that it must be the girl's, and that maybe the feeling of her presence could calm Ichigo down. She swears that even if he doesn't love her, Rukia will do whatever it takes to protect Ichigo.

Even if that means she has to use the help of her only romantic rival.


	5. Chapter 5

**Here it is! The final chapter of American Music! I'm sorry if this seems short compared to Hollow Problems, but it would be a chore to try and find songs for each chapter. I had a hard enough time with this one. I may make a sequel, but this story has served its purpose, I think. I apologize in advance for the HUMUNGUS tear-jerkers I at least attempted to write, and if you cry, don't blame me. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach; otherwise I would not have to be writing this. I do not own Three Doors Down or the song Here Without You.**

As Ichigo walks down the dark corridor, his anger is subdued slightly. He supposes that it's probably just his subconscious just trying to calm him down, to get him to turn away from certain death, to accept somebody's help. But the pain is too great for him to bear, and so he keeps walking. He keeps walking towards the noises of madness that he knows to be his hollow, waiting for him to make a move, waiting to kill him. And he is going to fall right into the trap.

However, as he marches towards his doom, he sees one more door. It seems different than the others; it just seems to be more… real. He decides that, since he is going to die, he may as well check the room out. He opens the door and, not checking to see what's inside, he steps in the room, closes the door, and awaits whatever horrors my lie in wait.

However, as the black room shifts to an empty street with only two inhabitants, one on the other's back as they slowly make their way down the street, he immediately regrets opening the door. He tries to leave, but the exit is gone, and in its place is a cemetery. And in the cemetery is the two people from before, the one with the bright orange haired knelt with the purple haired one still on his back. Ichigo tries looking away, but the same image is on the other side, and every way he turns. He turns one last time and is suddenly beside the two, himself and Senna, and he freezes. Then, the sadness washes over him and he slumps to the ground, crying. On hands and knees, he barely hears Senna's final words over his own sobs before his younger joins him on the ground.

_A hundred days have made me older,_

_Since the last time that I saw your pretty face._

_A thousand lies have made me colder,_

_And I don't think I can look at this the same._

It has been so long since he's heard her voice, her ACTUAL voice, not distorted by his own perversions. He's knows that, with all of the deceit from the Soul Society, he won't be able to go to his old life, which was how he met her in the first place.

Ichigo cries hard, not caring that the scene is changing once more, because he just wants it all to end. He just wants everything to stop hurting, everything to stop causing him pain. He just wants to leave this place and let his hollow kill him, however painful it may be, because it could never be as painful as reliving these memories are. He cries and cries, a small pool of water forming on the ground, and when he hears Senna's voice once more, he starts screaming, letting out deafening wails to try and drown out her voice. However, he fails horribly at the worst time.

_But all the miles now separate,_

_Disappear now when I'm dreaming of your face._

"If the world were destroyed, then there would be no Ichigo. I couldn't imagine a world without you."

Ichigo's voice catches in his throat and he looks up to see him and Senna in the air above the portal to the Valley of Screams. He knows what's about to happen, as though no time has passed, as though he were still right there in that moment.

"Senna, you can't do this!"

"No Ichigo! I could never let you die instead of me!"

And that's what ultimately breaks Ichigo. He just sits there, his eyes wide and his mouth open. He sits like this for a couple of minutes, just staring into nothingness as the room goes black once more. He eventually blinks, then again, and he stands, moves towards the door with the same blank expression on his face, and exits the room, moving once more towards his hollow. _You were wrong Senna. I'm the one who can't imagine a world without you anymore. I'm sorry, but I can't go on anymore. I'm coming to join you now, Senna. I'm coming to you._

…

"It's been five minutes."

The dreaded report comes from Shinji, who stops fighting and stands with Yoruichi and Urahara, panting.

"Well, it's time. I'm sorry Yoruichi, but I have to do this." Kisuke says, standing up and drawing Benihime from her sheath. "Shinji, tell the others to pin him down. I'll need one clear shot to weaken his armor, and then I'll hit him with kido."

"Okay Kisuke. Let's just get this over with." Shinji gives the order, and the Vizards wrestle Ichigo to the ground. Urahara slices a piece of Ichigo's mask off, rendering that portion vulnerable and causing the hollowfied substitute to scream in agony.

"Hado number 33, Sokat-"

"WAIT! URAHARA, DON'T DO IT! I'VE GOT IT!"

Kisuke stops the incantation bypass instantly and turns towards Rukia, his palm still outstretched. "Well, what is 'it'?"

"It's a ribbon. Her ribbon. I think," Rukia replies, holding up the red silk.

"And what do you think this is going to do, exactly?"

"It still has some residual spiritual pressure on it that I'm pretty sure belongs to the girl Ichigo was talking about. If we get it close enough to him, he might calm down and stop this mad quest for suicide," Rukia says hopefully.

Kisuke looks unimpressed. "You do realize that even if he could sense the little amount of spiritual pressure in the state he's in, his own spiritual pressure will just overtake it and deplete it?"

Rukia looks crestfallen at the man's harsh words and her failure. "Oh," she barely manages to get out before sinking to the ground.

"Hey, it was a good try. It just isn't enough. I'm sorry; I hoped your idea would work too. It just… isn't enough," Kisuke says in a softer voice, attempting to console Rukia.

"Don't be so sure, Kisuke," Shinji says.

"What? What are you talking about, Shinji?" the man asks from under his green-striped hat.

"Listen, when Aizen Hollowfied us, I felt more than just pain. It felt as though something was ripped out, and that the Hollow was what was trying to fill the space. It felt as though my soul was searching for something to fill the void, something that it never found. Maybe this is what Ichigo is looking for," the blonde Vizards explains his theory.

"Do you really think it'll work?" Rukia asks.

"I think it might. Just get it close enough for a long enough period of time. Tie it to his horns or something, I don't know. We'll try and hold him down, but then you've got to think of something."

"Okay. Give me the ribbon, Rukia; I'll do it," Kisuke says, holding out his hand.

"No. I want to do it," Rukia says with a determination similar to Ichigo's.

"Fine. But as soon as it's tied, you get out of there, okay?"

"Right."

The Vizards surround Ichigo once more, all of them completely worn out. They all tackle the Hollowfied Ichigo, forcing him to the ground. Rukia jumps into action and ties the ribbon on the base of his horn as tight as she can before Flash Stepping out of the building Cero's way. Everybody lets off of Ichigo's transformed body, but, surprisingly, not motion follows.

Ichigo's thrashing and rampaging has stopped, for now.

…

_The miles just keep rolling,_

_As people leave their way to say hello._

_I've heard this life is overrated,_

_But I hope that it gets better as we go._

Ichigo keeps moving on down the hall, prepared to say hello to his hollow so that he may say hello to Senna. He knows that once he's gone, it's over, but maybe he'll meet her in the next life. That would be better than living on in a world without Senna.

"**Well well, look what we have here. So, you've finally realized that you're going to die, huh?" **the hollow sneers from behind Ichigo.

"Yeah, that much is obvious. Just one thing before I go, though," Ichigo says before spinning around and landing one last hit square on the hollow's jaw. It slams into the wall, and Ichigo realizes that his power must be getting to about normal levels for him, which means that he could probably take control if he wanted to. _Too late for that now, though._

"**That hurt, king," **the hollow whines, picking himself out of the rubble. **"My turn!"** And Ichigo is sent down the hallway by a powerful punch to the gut. He stands up, only to be knocked back down again by a blow to the side of the head. The pain shoots through his skull, threatening to rip his mind apart. _Why does he have to take so damn long?_

However, his thoughts come to a complete halt as he feels a familiar presence. He checks to make sure he hasn't entered any rooms, and he sees that he is still in the hallway. Yet when he closes his eyes, shakes his head and opens his eyes again, he sees Senna once more. However, this time is different; this time, he can feel that she is really here, that her spiritual pressure is coming from outside of his mind.

"Senna?" Ichigo whispers disbelievingly.

"Hi Ichigo," Senna replies happily.

_Everything I know, and anywhere I go_

_It gets hard but it won't take away my love,_

"But, you're dead…" Ichigo trails off.

"Really? I don't feel like it," Senna says, examining her arms and legs.

"But I saw you die! You've been dead for four years!" Ichigo cries.

Ichigo decides that if he is to be sure that this is indeed the real Senna, he'll have to feel her in his arms. At least, that's the excuse he tells himself after hugging her tight.

"Ichigo, are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah, I'm just fine," Ichigo replies, now confidant that he is holding the real Senna. _She's probably using the same trick Rukia did. _"By the way, Senna? Where have you been?"

"Huh? What are you talking about, Ichigo? I've been right here the whole time," the girl replies.

"No, you've been gone for four years. We all that you had died! Well, actually, most of them didn't even remember you. But I did, I never forgot. I told you we'd see each other again."

"I don't remember any of that," Senna says confusedly.

"Well, when we get out of here, we'll get your memories back, okay?"

"Sure."

_And when the last one falls,_

"**Sorry to interrupt king, but now you're gonna die!" **Ichigo's hollow yells, soaring at Ichigo.

"No, I'm not," Ichigo replies as he catches the hollow's fist, crushes it, takes the inverted Tensa Zangetsu, converts it back to normal and cleaves the monster's head off in one sweep. "C'mon Senna, let's go."

"Right," Senna replies, watching Ichigo leave and dissolving afterward, leaving barely any hint of spiritual pressure.

…

"Hey there, Ichigo. Finally calmed down, huh?" Yoruichi is the first to greet her pupil.

Ichigo, still a little upset with everyone but Senna, manages to keep a civil tone. "Yeah. Where's Senna?"

"Actually, umm… listen, Ichigo, I'm really sorry…" Rukia barely speaks up.

"What do you mean?" Ichigo says cautiously, his eyes narrowing.

"Well, it's just… do you remember that ribbon you had in that box under your bed?"

"How did you know about that?"

"Well, I kind of saw you with it, but that's not important. Listen, do you remember there being any spiritual pressure on that ribbon?"

"Well, considering I haven't had any myself for the past four years, not really, no. now, where is Senna?" Ichigo says, raising his voice slightly.

"She's dead, Ichigo. She never came back. We tricked you with her spiritual pressure so that you would calm down, and it worked," Shinji interjects, blunt as ever.

"Wha-? But how? I held her in my arms!"

"That was her spiritual pressure manifesting itself in your Inner World. It wasn't real," Urahara explains.

"WHAT THE HELL!" Ichigo yells, instantly angry. "HOW COULD YOU DO THAT!? YOU CAN'T JUST PLAY WITH PEOPLE'S EMOTIONS!"

"We did it to save your life, Ichigo!" Rukia cries, unable to take Ichigo's yelling anymore.

"YOU SHOULD'VE LET ME DIE! THAT MUCH WOULD'VR BEEN EASIER!"

"ICHIGO!" Yoruichi yells, grabbing the substitute's attention. "How can you think that's fair!? If you had let yourself be beaten by your hollow, you would have hollowfied completely, creating the single most powerful Hollow ever!"

"SO!? WHY SHOULD I CARE!? YOU ALL SEEM TO HAVE BEEN HANDLING IT!" Ichigo retorts.

"STOP IT, ICHIGO!" the Shihoin princess actually cries out for once. "WE DID IT BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT YOU!"

"HOW CAN YOU SAY YOU CARE ABOUT ME WHEN YOU ABONDANED ME AFTER I LOST MY POWERS!?" Ichigo yells angrily. Two seconds later, a loud _*SLAP*_ rings throughout Urahara Shop's "basement" and a Yoruichi's red handprint is on Ichigo's face, silencing the angry teenager.

"How DARE you?" Yoruichi says angrily. "How dare you assume that we just _abandoned_ you? We never abandoned you, Ichigo. We were always right behind you, even if you couldn't see us. Ever wondered why your family never caught you crying or woke you up when you were screaming in your sleep? Ever wondered why you never saw anymore destruction that the hollows usually cause around you? Even if you didn't have any spiritual pressure, your friends still did. Don't you think it's weird that a hollow never came after Tatsuki or your family? It's because we never abandoned you OR your friends. We took care of you AND the people you used to take care of. So don't you DARE say we abandoned you."

Ichigo is speechless. All of the anger in him dispels instantly and all he has is sadness. He feels numb and he hates it. This feeling, the feeling of nothing at all, is the feeling that he has been spending most the last four years trying to avoid. And now, just like four years ago on that bridge, he has failed. He stands up, mutters a small "sorry", and Flash Steps out of the shop to go get his body. Once he does, he starts walking down the street aimlessly, no destination in mind. He just walks, his expression blank, and eventually finds himself in a graveyard, Senna's name staring him straight in the face.

Once again, he starts crying. He slumps to the ground, just as he had all those years ago, and this time, there is no one to comfort him. He's all alone.

_No, that's wrong. I'm not alone, I never was. I was just too blind to see it. Still, Senna…_

_I'm here without you baby,_

_But you're still on my lonely mind._

_I think about you baby,_

_And I dream about you all the time._

_I'm here without you baby,_

_But you're still with me in my dreams._

…

"Poor Ichigo," Shinji says. He, Kisuke, Yoruichi and Rukia are all gathered after Ichigo's departing.

"I say let him cry," Yoruichi spits, still bitter about Ichigo's poor assumptions of them.

"You know it's not his fault. He had no way of knowing. He was going through something that none of us knew about; otherwise, we probably would've kept in contact," Kisuke points out.

"I just wish there was something we could do for him," Rukia says.

Urahara seems to go into deep thought. "What is it, Kisuke?"

"I was just thinking… where is that ribbon?"

"It's on the ground over where Ichigo's mask fell off. He must've forgot it there when he left," Shinji says.

"Bring it up to the back room, I'll go set things up. Yoruichi, Rukia, please start tracking down Ichigo. Make sure there are no hollows anywhere near him," Urahara orders.

"What are you planning, Kisuke?" Yoruichi asks.

"You'll see," the genius replies, a glint in his eyes.

…

Three hours later, Ichigo lies in his bed, staring at the ceiling. His music is blasting in his ears once again, so he doesn't here the tap at the window. Or the knock. Or the yell to get his attention. Eventually, the visitor gets fed up and just opens the window, climbs in and rips the headphones out of his ears.

"Ichigo, get up," Rukia says.

"What is it? Is there a hollow? Can't you just take care of it?" Ichigo pleads.

"No, I've got something to show you. It's important. Now get up and c'mon."

"Why? What could possibly be so important?"

"Just c'mon and you'll see. Hurry up!"

"Okay, okay, I'm going."

…

_And tonight girl, it's only you and me._

"What are we doing here, Rukia?"

"Just be quiet and get inside!"

"Alright, alright, I get it! Jeez, I don't know what you're so-" Ichigo's voice catches in his throat when he sees Senna once again. "What is this?" he whispers, not willing to let his guard down again. "What kind of trick is this!?"

"It's not a trick, Ichigo," Kisuke informs him. "This is real. I managed to salvage the remaining spiritual pressure from the hair ribbon and multiply it. It eventually manifested into her. I've got to admit, I didn't really expect it to work…"

"Ichigo!" Senna cries happily, jumping into Ichigo's arms. Ichigo hesitantly wraps his arms arm her and, after making sure that she isn't going anywhere, that this is reality, he starts crying again. Only this time, the tears he sheds are tears of joy.

"Senna, do you remember what happened?" Ichigo whispers into the girl's hair cautiously.

"Yes, I remember. I died. But I'm back now, Ichigo, I'm back!" Senna replies happily.

"Senna, this is… thank you, Kisuke. Thanks all of you. I owe all of you an apology; I shouldn't have acted the way I had earlier. But you still did this… I can never thank you all enough," Ichigo says, looking up from Senna to the small group around him.

"It's okay, Ichigo. We forgive you. Now, we'll leave you two alone," Yoruichi says and everybody files out, leaving Ichigo and Senna alone.

"Senna, I still can't believe it! You're back!"

"I can't believe it either. But here I am!" the two talk in excited whispers as the hold each other close.

"Listen, Senna, there was something I never got to tell you and I've regretted it every day. Senna, I l-"

"I love you too, Ichigo!" Senna interrupts him.

"But you didn't let me finish!" Ichigo complains.

"Just shut up, Ichigo!" Senna interrupts him once more, slamming her lips against his, silencing him immediately. They share a passionate kiss, and when they pull back, they stay in each other's embrace.

"Senna, I love you."


End file.
